APRIL 8 2008 COLLEGE

TOP 25 SCORES (ESPN/USA Softball poll 4/8 +)

#5 Michigan 4, Central Michigan 3

#10 Tennessee sweeps Liberty 8-2, 7-1

#12 Fresno State sweeps Santa Barbara 5-2, 9-5

Ole Miss 2, #24 Mississippi State 1

TOP 25 GAME CAPSULES (Gametracker and SPYmail)

#5 Michigan 4, Central Michigan 3. WP Nikki Nemitz. LP Ali Petit  Sv Jordan Taylor

Close call for the Wolverines (33-4).  Nemitz started strong; striking out the side in the top of the 1^st.   Ran into trouble in the 3^rd; Venker reached on fielding error at 3^rd; Kaatz walked.  With two out, Seddon singled in the unearned run. UM scored two in the bottom half; Shaw singled; with two out, Giampaolo homered down right field line.  After CMU stranded three runners in the top of the 4^th, and Campbell relieved Pettit, the Wolverines scored twice; Angela Findlay opened with a single, Samantha Findlay homered, 4-1. With two out in the 5^th, Novak and Hudson singled, both scoring on Merchant’s single, 4-3.  Taylor relieved Nemitz, closed out the rally with a K.  Cozat walked to start the CMU 6^th and advanced on a wild pitch, but Taylor struck out the next three batters.  Seddon struck out to start the CMU 7^th, but Novak singled, stole 2^nd, and went to 3^rd on a wild pitch.  With the tying run on the corner, Taylor struck out the next two batters.

#10 Tennessee sweeps Liberty 8-2, 7-1

Tiffany Huff equaled her season high with four RBIs as part of a 3-for-3 effort at the plate leading Tennessee (37-7) to an 8-2 victory over Liberty in the opener of a Tuesday doubleheader at the Lee Softball Stadium.  By allowing just two runs on five hits over seven innings with five K’s, senior hurler Megan Rhodes improved her season record to 18-4 overall.

Senior third baseman Tonya Callahan and sophomore center fielder Erinn Webb each homered as part of a 10-hit offensive attack as Tennessee (38-7) wrapped up a Tuesday doubleheader sweep of Liberty at the Lee Softball Stadium, 7-1.  With the triumph in the DH finale, the Lady Vol win streak improved to seven.  Callahan went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and hammered her team-leading 12th home run of the campaign to improve her season totals to a staggering .450 average, a .850 slugging percentage, a .580 on-base percentage and 46 RBIs.  Webb’s blast as part of a perfect 2-for-2 effort at the plate with two runs scored marked her fifth HR of the year.  Junior left fielder Lillian Hammond went 2-for-3 at the dish with two runs and an RBI.  Freshman second baseman Chandra Mogan contributed an RBI on a third-inning triple. Freshman Ashton Ward won her 20th game of 2008, allowing just one run on four hits with six strikeouts during the complete-game effort.

#12 Fresno State 5  UC-Santa Barbara 2 WP-Morgan Melloh  (25-4) LP-Lindsey Correa  (10-5)

Fresno State 9  UC-Santa Barbara 5 WP-Morgan Melloh  (26-4)  12 K's LP-Tami Weston  (8-3)

The No. 12/13 Fresno State softball team earned the sweep at UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday afternoon with scores of 5-2 and 9-5 as they improved to 37-7 and freshman Morgan Melloh pitched two complete game to improve to 26-4 on the mound.

Game One
Nicole Angene would get the first hit of the game for the Bulldogs in the top of the third to lead off the inning. Pitcher Morgan Melloh would follow with a bloop single to left field. Mallory Perkins would then walk to load the bases with no outs for the `Dogs. Haley Gilleland would hit a blooper into right field and score Angene from third for a 1-0 lead.  Caitlin Stiglich would hit a double down the right field line to score Melloh from third and Gilleland from first for a 3-0 lead. UCSB would rally for one run in the bottom of the third, to cut the lead to 3-1. A four-pitch walk to Angene by UCSB starting pitcher Lindsey Correa would begin the top of the fourth inning. Melloh would get her second hit of the game, a double down the right field line.  A single to left field by Perkins would score Angene for a 4-1 lead. Gilleland would also get her second hit of the game, a double down the right field line to score Melloh from third, as the `Dogs led 5-1. MeLinda Matsumoto would replace Correa on the mound in the top of the fourth. Correa allowed five runs on eight hits, in three and two-thirds innings. ErickaAnn Hansen hit a solo home run to right field for the Gouchos in the bottom of the third to cut the Bulldogs lead to 5-2 and that's as close as UCSB would get it.  Melloh ended the game with seven strikeouts. Melloh also contributed from the plate as her and Gilleland had two hits in the game. Gilleland and Scheuber had two RBI's a piece. The Bulldogs had nine hits as a team.

Game Two
Gilleland led off game two with a single to left field and reached second on an error. Jenna Cervantez would hit a single to right field as Gilleland advanced to third with no outs. Cervantez would reach second on a wild pitch. Stiglich would then draw a walk from Goucho starter Tami Weston to load the bases.  Gilleland would score off a sacrifice fly to right field by Ashley White for a 1-0 lead.  Cervantez would hit a solo home run to right field in the top of the third to give the `Dogs the 2-0 advantage.  After a bloop single to center field in the top of the fourth with one out by Perkins, Gilleland hit her second home run of the year, a two-run shot to left field to increase the Bulldog lead to 4-0.  Cervantez would walk and reach second on a passed ball. Stiglich would then hit the Bulldogs second two-run home run of the inning. It was the eighth home run of the season for Stiglich.  UCSB would get one run in the bottom of the fourth. After four innings of play it was 6-1 Bulldogs. The Gouchos would score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the led to 6-5. Fresno State would earn some runs back as Cervantez hit her second home run of the game, and her ninth of the year, a two-run shot to left field with Gilleland on second. Matsumoto would enter on the mound for UCSB in the top of the seventh. Weston pitched six innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits. The Bulldogs would add to one run to their lead in the top of the seventh with two outs. After Lisamarie Coronado entered to pinch hit, she would reach first on a fielder's choice and eventually score from third off a single by Cervantez to left field. Melloh had 12 strikeouts and pitched her 25th complete game and improved to 26-4 on the year. Cervantez led the team in game two with four hits and four RBI's.

Ole Miss 2, #24 Mississippi State 1 WP Lindsey Perry. LP Elizabeth Woolven. S Becky Nye

Mississippi State dropped a tough, 2-1 decision to Mississippi Tuesday night at the M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic in Ridgeland, Miss. Lindsey Perry picked up her sixth victory of the season, allowing a run on three hits despite walking seven over three and a third. Becky Nye allowed a walk the rest of the way to pick up her second save of the year. Elizabeth Woolven suffered her first defeat of the season, falling to 4-1 as she allowed the two-run home run on four hits in three and a third innings. Misty Flesher held the Rebels to four hits the remaining three and two-thirds, striking out four and walking one. Chelsea Bramlett, Courtney Bures and Ali Bainbridge each collected hits for MSU. Lauren Grill gave UM (17-22) its runs of the game with a two-run home run in the first inning, but MSU (32-15) began to battle back with a run in the fourth inning in front of 912 at Freedom Ridge Park. Jessie Spain led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Courtney Nesbit followed with a walk, and with one out in the inning, Bramlett was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gina McCloud pinch-hit for State and cut the lead to 2-1 by drawing a bases-loaded walk, one of State’s eight on the night. MState was unable to plate the tying run, missing out on numerous scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs left runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings and stranded 11 overall. “We had several opportunities with the bases loaded and runners in scoring position, but we couldn’t get the big hit,” State head coach Jay Miller said. “We have to get someone to step up and get that big
hit. The players are pressing a little bit at the plate, and we need a good break-out game to relax some at the plate.”


 

OTHER GAME CAPSULES

Maryland sweeps Georgetown 1-0, 8-0

Junior Sarah Dooley’s three-hit shut out propelled the University of Maryland softball team to a 1-0 victory over Georgetown in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. In the second game, Lindsey Wright pitched a one-hit shutout as the Terps won, 8-0. The Terps improved to 29-10 on the season.

In the first game, Dooley (13-7) struck out nine batters including five in a row on the way to her fourth shutout of the season. She only allowed three hits and scattered three walks for her eighth complete game of the year. Brittany Bessho tripled to center-field to score Sarde Stewart in the first inning for the Terps’ only run of the game. Georgetown starter Jennifer Connell (13-20) took the loss, allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts.

In the second game, the Terps struck early for three runs in the first inning. Senior Jenny Belak singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Stewart singled Belak home before Kerry Hickey doubled down the left-field line to score Stewart. Hickey scored the final run of the inning on a throwing error off a ball hit by Devon Williams. The Terps scored three more in the fourth, starting when Stewart doubled to score Belak. Brittany Bessho singled but the throw was wide of first base, allowing Stewart to come across the plate. Hickey stepped up and singled home Bessho to widen the lead to 6-0.

Breanna Shaw tripled in the sixth inning and scored on a throwing error off of a hit by Sarde Stewart. Brittany Bessho singled home pinch runner Krista Gould to score the last run for the Terps. Wright (2-0) finished with four strikeouts with only one hit allowed for her second complete game in as many starts and first shutout for in a Maryland uniform. Georgetown starter Melissa Conners finished with two strikeouts and four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in a losing effort.

NC State splits with Radford

Eight hits spread across timely situations led NC State past Radford, 3-1, in the first game of a road doubleheader on Tuesday, April 8. Shanna Smith went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Kristine Bechtholdt drove in two runs. The win moves State to 23-18 on the year, while the Highlanders dip to 26-11.Lindsay Campana (12-13) earned the win, allowing no earned runs while striking out seven. Ashley Taylor (15-7) took the loss. State put up a quick run in the top of the first to stake an early lead. Ashleigh Davis singled through the right side and moved to third on an Alyssa Allbritten double. Bechtholdt then lifted a sac-fly to deep left, plating Davis. The Pack added one run to its lead in the top of the second when Smith dropped a blooper into right, scoring Krystal Hawkins from second. Hawkins came on to run earlier for Bridget Desbois, who singled to left.
Radford had a chance to get something going in the top of the second, but it wasn’t in the cards. Kristen Shifflett laced a two-out triple to right, but Campana caught Hope Creasy looking to put the kibosh on any potential rally. A Bechtholdt double to right-center brought another Wolfpack run across in the top of the fifth. Smith lined a single into right and scampered to third when Creasy misplayed the ball, later scoring on Bechtholdt’s two-bagger.Shannon Keefe put the Highlanders on the board with an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth. Creasy reached and advanced to second when Bechtholdt dropped a fly ball in right, eventually scoring unearned on Keefe’s base hit.

Five extra-base hits and three home runs propelled Radford past NC State, 4-1, in the second game of a road doubleheader on Tuesday, April 8. NC State falls to 23-19 with the defeat, while the Highlanders climb to 27-11.Mendy McKenzie (11-6) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits. Kellie Snooks (3-0) got the win in relief for Radford, while Ashley Taylor picked up her sixth save. Snooks tossed 4.1 innings and allowed just two hits, while Taylor went 1.2 with one hit allowed. Alyssa Allbritten blasted a two-out solo home run in the top of the first, her seventh, putting the Pack ahead early. However it would prove to be the red and white’s lone score.

Texas Tech sweeps Texas State

Texas Tech softball added two more wins to its record as it swept the Bobcats of Texas State (26-13) on Tuesday 6-2 and 8-6. With the two wins, Tech extends its winning streak to four and has now won six of its last eight.  Game one featured the reigning Big12 Pitcher of the Week, Ashly Jacobs, as she aimed for her third win in as many games against a Bobcat team that had knocked off perennial powers Baylor, Texas and Washington earlier this year.

Jacobs started strong striking out the first batter of the game and forced the Bobcats to go three up and three down. The Red Raiders came out swinging in the bottom of the first when Leah Legler singled extending her hitting streak to five games. After stealing second, Legler was driven home on a single by Montana Patin. With a single of her own, Megan Shupp scored Patin to make the score 2-0. The Bobcats were sent right back to the dugout by Jacobs in the top of the second.

Tech then extended its lead to 4-0 when Jennifer Bowers blasted a two-run home run, her second of the year. The Red Raiders added to its lead with a run in each of the next two innings to make it 6-0. Texas State managed to score two runs in the top of the seventh as it tried to rally. However, Jacobs, who had earlier been relieved, made a return to seal the win for Tech, 6-2.

In game two, the bats stayed hot for Tech as it scored four runs in the bottom of the first on a single from Patin and double from pitcher Tye Coats, which each put two runs accross. The Bobcats cut the Red Raider lead in half when Jetta Weinheimer homered. Tech didn't take long to respond as they scored three in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles from Legler, Zaragoza and Patin. TSU got three more on the board in the top of the fifth to make the score 7-5. Jacobs came on in relief of Coats in the top of the sixth to help put away the game. TSU managed to score a run in the sixth, but Tech answered on a Jennifer Corkin sacrifice fly to make the score 8-6. The Bobcats then went three up and three down in the top of the seventh to give Jacobs her first career save and seal the win.
 

ULTIMATE COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD

UCS conducts an independent national poll; numbers in red

Atlantic Sun

Jacksonville vs North Florida 6/8 pm Jacksonville, Fla.

Summit

North Dakota State vs South Dakota State   Postponed   Brookings, S.D.

Others

Monmouth 6  Manhattan 4

WP-Melissa Mehrer  (4-8)

LP-Rampino   (1-4)

S-Dara Palms  (1)

Monmouth 8  Manhattan 1

WP-Dara Palms  (2-1)

LP-Smith   (0-4)

College of Charleston 14  Hampton 4   (5 inn)

WP-Terri Mesko  (9-14)  4-IP  0-Hits  1-BB  10 K's

LP-Jada Jeffries  (5-1)

College of Charleston 5  Hampton 1

WP-Shannon Howard  (12-10)  2-Hitter  15 K's

LP-Jada Jeffries  (5-2)

Gardner-Webb 5  Coastal Carolina 3

WP-Cindy Boomhower  (2-5)

LP-Ashley Pedersen  (6-7)

S-Taryn Beck  (3)

Gardner-Webb 4  Coastal Carolina 3

Pittsburgh 2  Penn State 0

Penn State 6  Pittsburgh 0

Oakland 5  Detroit 1

WP-Jessica Granger  (6-8)  9 K's

LP-Lauren Memmer  (1-4)

Detroit 4  Oakland 3

WP-Jill Perry  (3-5)

LP-Brittany Grys  (1-3)

Texas A&M-CC vs Prairie View A&M 1/3 pm Prairie View, Texas

La Salle 2  Towson 1   (8 inn)

WP-McCreesh  (7-3)

LP-Rietman-Grout  (10-6)

La Salle 3  Towson 2

WP-Paoletti  (2-2)

LP-Johnston  (10-8)

LaS-scored 3 Runs in the Bottom of the 7th

Harvard vs Holy Cross   Postponed   Worcester, Mass.

Syracuse 6  Niagara 4

WP-Gardner  (7-6)

LP-Tiffany McCrory  (4-7)

Syracuse 2  Niagara 1

WP-Gardner   (8-6)

LP-Brooke Viola  (2-2)  10 K's

Cornell 5  St. Bonaventure 3   (8 inn)

WP-Ali Tomlinson  (8-4)

LP-Thompson   (6-6)

Cornell 7  St. Bonaventure 6   (8 inn)

WP-Jenn Meunier  (13-1)

LP-Bricker   (1-4)

Hofstra 12  Iona 0   (5 inn)

WP-Sara Michalowski  (5-3)  5-Hitter

LP-Becky Riccitelli  (4-9)

Wagner 7  Temple 2

WP-Kate Eshelman  (5-4)

LP-Branco   (1-3)

 St. Bonaventure vs Cornell 3/5 pm Ithaca, N.Y.

Temple 5  Wagner 3

WP-Burdeaux  (3-4)

LP-Amy Iwicki  (0-1)

Fordham 12  Fairleigh Dickinson 4   (6 inn)

WP-Twarowski  (6-5)

LP-Fields  (3-6)

Fordham 7  Fairleigh Dickinson 2

WP-Wiggins  (7-6)

LP-Buchanan  (1-7)

Drexel 3  St. Joseph's 2

WP-Ellen Boundy  (5-1)

LP-Lauren Cognigni  (3-9)

S-Breanna Gomez  (1)

Villanova 3  Lehigh 1

WP-Nicci Ward  (4-5)

LP-Tiffany Curtis  (10-7)

Villanova 9  Lehigh 9   (7 inn)-TIE

North Carolina State 3  Radford 1

WP-Lindsay Campana  (12-13)

LP-Ashley Taylor  (15-7)

Radford 4  North Carolina State 1

WP-Kellie Snooks  (3-0)

LP-Mendy McKenzie  (11-6)

S-Ashley Taylor  (6)

IPFW 1  Ball State 0

WP-Kayla Powell  (3-2)

LP-Tiffany Garofano  (7-10)

Ball State 2  IPFW 1   (8 inn)

WP-Laura Masch  (5-3)

LP-Amanda Olender  (3-7)

Grambling vs Texas College 2:00 PM Tyler, Texas

Vermont 8  Siena 3

WP-Allison Daggett  (2-2)

LP-Jamie Piela  (3-8)

Vermont 3  Siena 0

WP-Caitlin Monahan  (1-0)  4-Hitter

LP-Lauren Shaheen  (2-3)

BYU 11  Southern Utah 0   (5 inn)

WP-Christina Gwyn-Trice  (10-5)

LP-Katie Kearns  (1-5)

BYU-Gwyn-Trice & Christie Zinanti combined No-Hitter

BYU 12  Southern Utah 0   (5 inn)

WP-Paige Affleck  (8-2)  2-Hitter  8 K's

LP-Meghan Wilson  (0-4)

#12 Fresno State 5  UC-Santa Barbara 2

WP-Morgan Melloh  (25-4)

LP-Lindsey Correa  (10-5)

#12 Fresno State 9  UC-Santa Barbara 5

WP-Morgan Melloh  (26-4)  12 K's

LP-Tami Weston  (8-3)

Utah Valley State 8  Idaho State 0   (6 inn)

WP-Alli Bramwell  (5-8)  1-Hitter  8 K's

LP-Kandis Clesson  (2-3)

Utah Valley State 4  Idaho State 3

WP-Alli Bramwell  (6-8)  9 K's

LP-Natasha Milosevich  (3-8)

USC-Upstate 2  Furman 0

WP-Morgan Childers  (19-5)  3-Hitter  14 K's

LP-Lana Mackey  (12-14)

USC-Upstate 7  Furman 6

WP-Morgan Childers  (20-15)

LP-Lana Mackey  (12-15)

Charleston Southern vs Campbell 4/6 pm Buies Creek, N.C.

Dayton vs Indiana State 4/6 pm Terre Haute, Ind.

Northern Illinois vs Loyola-Chicago 3/5 pm Chicago, Ill.

Rider vs Rutgers 4:30 PM Piscataway, N.J.

Bethune-Cookman vs #35 UCF 5:00 PM Orlando, Fla.

Lipscomb vs Tennessee Tech 4/6 pm Cookeville, Tenn.

Southeastern Louisiana vs Jackson State 4/6 pm Jackson, Miss.

Texas Southern vs Sam Houston State 4/6 pm Huntsville, Texas

Mobile vs Birmingham-Southern 5/7 pm Birmingham, Ala.

Illinois vs Bradley 5/7 pm Peoria, Ill.

Delta State vs Mississippi Valley State 6:00 PM Itta Bena, Miss.

Louisiana-Monroe vs Louisiana Tech 4 pm Ruston, La.

New Mexico vs New Mexico State 6:30 PM Las Cruces, N.M.

Cleveland State vs Eastern Michigan

NFCA SCOREBOARD (late night wrap)

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